The artist

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“There is definite strength in Valerie Khayat’s sensitivity and fragility, it does good to one’s heart and soul…”

-Dan Behrman, Montreal Radio-Host

“A solitary voice, compassionate and haunting, she uses both words and music to reach out to her audience and bring them into her world. It is a world of shocking beauty, where love competes with injustice, and balance is fleeting.”

-Ian Ferrier, Canadian Poet/Spoken word artist

Poet, singer songwriter, musician, Valerie has been present in the Montreal artistic community since 2004 from folk to spoken word circles, including as a contributing artist for various events in connection to non-profit and grassroots organizations.

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Her love of poetry is at the origin of her songwriting. In 2002, only a year after picking up a guitar for the first time and developing her playing on her own, she began writing and peforming her original material around Montreal. Since then, over the years, she has hosted and produced her own open mic, been invited to perform at some of the city’s most renowned series such as the Coco Cafe and Words & Music. In 2008, she was invited to perform in the prominent Montreal Festival Voix d’Amériques sharing the bill with, among others, guest of honour and Beat Generation poet John Giorno from New York (a show which aired on CBC Radio One).

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In the same year, she launched both her first book of poetry The Road to Vesper and her first full length album, Resonance in blue, for which she composed all of the music and lyrics. Always giving herself wholly through her writings and performances, she has steadily carved herself a place as a respected artist and performer wherever she is heard.